Big news!

Hint: involves a library 👏

Last week, I was appointed by the Swain County Commissioners to the Board of the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City, NC.

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For me, this is a big, big deal.

When I think back on my life, I see books. I can tell you which libraries near my college had helpful librarians and which had the nicest copy machine(s). I can clearly see the library card catalog near my favorite reading table in graduate school. I remember the feeling of my heartbeat the first time I searched for (and found) a critical book within the University of California library system using a computer (green screen). Books have always mattered to me.

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While preparing to share this announcement with you, I searched my photos with the phrase — “reading book” — and found a scanned newspaper clipping of teenage Lori reading a book outside the public library near my high school.

Photo of Lori reading outside of the local library as a teen. 📚 (Source: newspaper clipping in scrapbook)

I remember the day this photo was taken. I remember the book. And I remember who I was and what I needed: safety, belonging, and connection.

The local library was my safe place. Physically and socially.

Most days after school, the public library was for studying with friends and exploring the stacks where knowledge of everything was within my reach. I would browse and spot-read, then check-out the maximum number of books that my dog-eared library card allowed.

The librarians saw me and reflected back in a way that helped me feel recognized, accepted, and valued.

Reading opened my mind to possibilities.

I read the library’s full collection on horses, jockeys and riding. I read about travel and life abroad. I read Victor Hugo, Daphne du Maurier, and Louisa Mae Alcott on repeat. (To this day, when catharsis is needed, I re-read Les Miserables.)

Reading books meant I could learn anything / be anything. Reading exercised my mind in a way that built muscle memory around sentence structure. Reading prepared me for writing. And writing has been my path to everything.

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I am grateful for the books that informed and transformed my life.

I am grateful to have this opportunity to serve on the board of the local library.

I am grateful for the chance to experience the library in a whole new way while in service to literacy and access to lifelong learning.

I’m excited. And I’ll keep you posted.